Protractor-level



H. F. LOESCHNER.

vPROTRACTOR LEVEL.

APPLlcATIoN HLED APR.12,1919

A TTURN E )L HENRY 11. LoEsoHNER, or rnEnEnrcKToWN, MISSOURI,

PROTRACTGR-LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 28 1921.

Application led April 12, 1919. Serial No. 289,611.

To all 'whom t may 1o/noem.'

Be it known that I, HENRY F. lioEsoi-INER, a citizen ot' the UnitedStates, residing at Fredericktown, in the county of Madison and State ofMissouri, have Vinvented new and usefulA Improvements in Protrac-tor-Levels-of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanics instruments, and particularly toprotractor levels.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an `instrmnent ofsimple and improved construction for ascertaining levels, verticale andangles ot at,-upright or slanting surfaces, and the scale for suchinstrument is so graduated and marked as to enable the user to readilydetermine the secant, sine and cosine of any angle.

A further and particular object of the invention is to provide aninstrument oi the character stated which is-embodied in a level beam `ofthe usual well known construction, but which may be quickly and easilydetachedor removed from the beam so as to be used independently thereofas a separate and smaller level, thus providing in a single iustrumenttwo levels of different sizes.

llith these and other objects in view, 'the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will bedescribed more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawing, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawingz- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a protractor level`constructed inV accordance with the invention,

.F ig. 2 is atop plan view of the level Fig. 3 is a vertical transversesectional view taken through the level .and indicating instrument on theplane indicated by the line of F ig. 1, and

Fig. 4l is an enlarged plan view of the protractor scale used inconnection with the level.

Referring now to the drawing, 5 indicates generally a level beam orstock of ordinary construction, having its upper and lower edges orfaces parallel, and these edges may be graduated in the ordinary manner.

The level and angle determining and measuring instrument is embodied ina small level beam or stock 4embodying a block or casing indicated at 6,and` this casing fits snugly within a chamber or recess 7 formed `andprevents the plumb bob or level is 455 degrees. .scales le and 15indicate inches, and the in one side of the beam 5. It is preferred thatthe recess be located intermediate the ends of thebeam, and it is alsopreferred that the casing and the opening to receive the same be ct' thesame rectangular shape and size so that movement of the casino' withinsuch opening will be prevented. Thad casing is of suchk thickness thatits outer face will lie in the same plane with the level side wheninserted properly within the recess or chamber.

The outer face of the block is recessed and this recessed portionreceives the dial pro'tracto'r card or plate 8. This card issemi-circular in shape and is provided with a scale indicated at 9 toindicate the degrees ci4I a circle. lt will be observed, particularlywith reference to Fig, 4 oit the drawing, that the zero line oit theprotractor scale is disposed at right angles to the upper and lower.edges of the level beam, and the scale markings appearing upon each sideof this zero .line are indicated by tens up to 909. ifgravity indicatorsuch as the plumb bob l0 is arranged wit-hin the block recess and thesupporting cord `or rod 11 ot this indicator is secured to a pin orspike 12 passing through the card at the center from which the indicatorarcs are struck. A glass plate or other transparency 12 closes therecess gravity indicator becoming' removed from the casing, and at thesame time permits of the indications being` easily read by the operatoror mechanic.,

The dial, protractor plate or card 8 is provided with Vsets ofconcentric scales 13, lll: andl for cooperation with the pointer 10.

The scale 13 constitutes the degree scale proper and comprises the arcsa and a extending at opposite sides of the zero point and each havingscale markings indicated by tens and running in opposite directions fromthe zero point. When the pointer 10 registers with the common zero pointol these scale arcs, this will indicate that the level ispertectlyhorizontal, t'. c., level. On the other hand it the pointer 1() shouldregister with .the 90 mark of either of said arcs, this will indicatethat the level is perpendicular or plumb. When the indexv or pointer` ison `the 45o mark of either of said arcs, this will indicate that theslant ot' the The graduations on the scale 14 'includes the arcs b, andc, c,

. c gradually the point of connection with the arcs b and while thescale 15 includes the arcs 0l, d

and e, e. The arcs b, b, are alike in charl acter and arranged onopposite sides of the connnon Zero point of the scales, and the scalegraduations of each of said arcs are designated by odd numbers 1, 3, 5,7, 9, 11, in a scale range of 12 inches. As shown, the numerals 1 ofeach set of numerals of the arcs b, b begin at points about opposite the3&0 graduations of the degree arcs a, a and the numerals 11'thereofterminate about opposite the L119g" graduations of the arcs a, a', andthe graduations of the arcs b, b decrease in width as they run from 1 to11 and the distance between such numerals proportionately decreases,making the two arcs Z9 and Z9', polygon scales. The arcs c, c', of thescale 14C are similarly alike in character, and the scale graduations ofthe same are correspondingly designated by odd numbers, but ina reverseorder, i. e., 11, 9,7, 5, 3, 1, in a scale range of 12 inches. is shown,the graduations of the arcs c and increase in width outward from b',respectively, and these arcs c, c, constitute reversed polygon scales.The arcs d, d', of the scale 15 are arranged on opposite sides of thecommon zero point of the scale card, and the scale graduations thereofare designated by even numbers 2, 4t, 6, 8, 10, 12,

Y in a scale range of 12 inches, and as shown the numerals of each ofthe arcs begin at points about in line with the 10O indication of thearcs a, a, of the scale 13, the scale graduations of the arcs cl, CZ',decreasing in width as they run from 2 to 12. Similarly the arcs e, e,of the scale 15 are arranged on opposite ends of the arcs d, al,`and thescale graduations thereof are designated by even numbers, but in thereverse order, t'. e., 12, 10, 8,v 6, 11, 2, and gradually increase inwidth in their outward progression. The scale 15, and the several arcsthereof immediately adjacent the zero point, is arranged for the layingoff of hip and valley rafters, and the numeral designated thereon by thepointer at any angle up to the 4:50 mark, will indicate the rise per runof one foot for plain rafter, or the rising pitch of the rafters forhips and valleys, while the outer opposite sets of arcs between the 45and 90o marks give the reverse, or falling pitch per run of 1 foot.

The casing'6 is protected from injury by the sliding closure plate 16,the latter being confined between the guide members 17 near the upperand lower edges respectively of the beam 5. The plate 16 may be of thinmetal, and slides freely within its guides.

l lWhen the slide is moved over the block or casing 6 the latter will bewholly covered and obstructed 'from view, and will also be protectedagainst injury. The slide is limf ited in its movement in one directionby the spring metal stop member or clip 18 and in I its movement in thereverse direction by the spring metal stop or clip 19. The clip 18 ispreferably pivotally mounted upon the beam 5, and in addition to forminga stop for the slide 16, also acts as means for retaining the casing orblock 6 in position within its recess in the beam 5. When it is desiredto remove the block 6 from the casing or main level beam or stock theclip 18 may be swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,whereupon the block may be easily removed. It is to be noted of thedevice thus provided, that, the block 6, when removed, is capable ofperforming all the functions of the same, as when positioned inthe mainlevel beam 5, but, by reason of its smallness,

may be used on work too small for the larger and longer beam, and it iscontemplated having both side and end edges of each beam or block 5 and6 a true straight edge, so that either may be used with any one of thefour sides and end edges against the work with an equal degree ofaccuracy. A

The upper longitudinal edge of the beam or stock 5 is provided withaninch scale running to 24 inches, or 2 feet, and opposite each inchgraduation is arranged the corresponding length, in feet and inches ofdecimal figures, of common rafters, the length scale running up to the-1- pitch mark, e. e., the 12 inch mark of the inch scale, for each oneinch rise. This scale of rafter lengths may be continued up theinch-scale to full pitch or the 24; inch mark or graduation, as may bedesired, and is provided to give the mechanic, making use of the device,complete data for the laying off of rafters without the necessity offiguring the length and cuts required or losing time in referring totables of such data. When the level is used, and the inch rise infalling or rising pitch is read on the protractor cord, byreferring tothe inch scale the required length of rafter may be read opposite thenumber of inches corresponding to the reading obtained.

While the above is a description .of the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it will be understood that alterations may be made in theminor details of construction without departing from the spirit of thein- Y vention as defined by the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim Y 1. A compoundprotractor level comprising a main beam having a recess formed thereinin one side thereof, a secondary beam seated in the-recess of said mainbeam and adapted to be removed therefrom for use independently of thelatter, means for securing said secondary beamin position Vwithin llOthe recess of said main beam, and a closure slidably mounted on saidmain beam and adapted to be moved into registry with the recess of thelatter to close the same and to protect the secondary beam from injurywhen seated in the recess.

2. A compound protractor level comprising an elongated main beam havinga longitudinally elongated recess formed therein in one side andmedially of the opposite ends thereof, a secondary beam snugly seated insaid elongated recess of said main beam and adapted to be removedtherefrom for use independently or' the latter, means for retaining saidsecondaryT beam in position Within said elongated recess, a graduatedscale and indicating pointer associated one with the other carried bysaid secondary 15 beam from injury When seated in said elon- 20 gatedrecess.

In testimony Whereo I aix my signature.

HENRY F. LOESCHNER.

